Tales from the Drinks
by Fleur de Anemone
Summary: Gaara just shot the girl a look, and then went back to swirling his martini around and around. Naruto followed his gaze and whistled. 'Who’s that, Gaara' 'Her name’s Aimez… And I don’t want to talk about it.'
1. Martini

**Summary: Naruto and his friends are in the Sunasato (Translation: sand village) on a mission… Okay, so they're on vacation. They've probably been to the excellent bar ten times, each time they have asked Gaara to come with. And he has. After many weeks at the bar with Gaara, Kiba, Shino and Shikamaru, Naruto finally asks the Kazekage who the strange woman in black is who follows them around. He is surprised by Gaara's explanation, and even more shocked. Who knew Gaara had it in him to actually love?**

**Main characters: Gaara, Naruto, Aimez**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I only own Aimez. The weird people in white flashed that thingy in my face and I forgot all about my Japanese heritage. I hate the people in white!**

**

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Tales from the Drinks  
Martini

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**"Hey, I'm surprised you came this time, Gaara!" 

"I've only come every time since you've gotten here, if you haven't noticed."

A vein on Naruto's forehead throbbed, but he let it pass. Shikamaru mumbled a "how troublesome" under his breath and took a sip of his whiskey. Naruto let this pass, too.

Shino released a bug that hummed and buzzed in Naruto's ear. He nearly slapped it down, but let it pass, as he did quite a lot, lately. Kiba drummed his fingers against the counter and mumbled, "That girl is looking at you again, Gaara."

Gaara shifted his dark eyes first up, then down, and finally to the far side. The woman was about his age, and was glaring at him, pointing at her watch and mouthing, "Ten thirty! Home! Now!"

He sighed and bent over the counter. Couldn't that woman leave him alone with his… Friends? He had promised her a calm night at home, but Naruto invited him to drink at the last minute. Aimez will be furious once she was able to mouth him off…

"Gaara? Hello?"

Naruto snapped his fingers. "You look dazed."

Gaara just shot the girl a look, and then went back to swirling his martini around and around.

Naruto followed his gaze and whistled. "Who's that, Gaara?"

"He name's Aimez… And I don't want to talk about it."  
But Naruto was too curious. Had Gaara not known him well enough, he wouldn't have stopped Naruto before he ordered him the most alcoholic drink on the menu. "Alright, alright. I'll tell, just don't waste your time."

Everyone scooted closer to Gaara. If they were drunk or not, everyone liked a good story… Except Shikamaru, who just went on drinking shots of whiskey.

"Anyway, her name is Aimez Minuit, and she's my fiancé…"

"WHAT!"

"Yeah… Listen, do you want to hear how we met or not?"

"Yeah. Sorry." Kiba muttered.

"So anyway I was out on one of my rounds through the Sunasato, and I saw this bird. It was big and black and had this roll of bread in its beak, twice the size of any bird I've ever seen. I thought it was scaring my people, y'know, so I walked over to shoo it off, but it didn't fly away. It just sort of looked at me and dropped its bread and screeched, 'Aimez! Aimez!' and it picked it back up and started hopping away. So I followed it and it led me to her…"

Gaara stared into his martini and could nearly see how Aimez looked on that day…


	2. Margarita

**Main characters: Gaara, Naruto, Aimez

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****Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I only own Aimez. I hate the people in white. A lot.

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****Tales from the Drinks  
****Margarita**

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Gaara looked down at what could only be described as the most pitiful human he'd ever seen. Her skin was pale, and her eyes were dull and glazed. Her fingers are long and slim, a pianist's fingers, but they were bony, too. There were gray circles under her eyes, which were the color that only was seen before a storm. A hurricane, even. Her hair, once a ebony black, was reduced to a dark, dusty gray. The rags she wore were once beautiful, but they were now dirty and fading of their bright, radiant colors. Her shirt was stretched over her back, so Gaara could count the bumps in her spine. Her back was propped against a random building, her knees hugged to her chin, her eyes staring blankly across the street as if no one were there.

The bird nudged her arm with its beak and set down the bread, whimpering, "Aimez, Aimez! Moi amener pâture!"

"Remercier toi."

Gaara shuddered. The girl's voice was so faint it sounded like she would die any minute. If he were a normal person, he wouldn't have even heard her.

"Bon voyage!" The bird disappeared in a puff of black smoke.

Ah. Summoning no jutsu.

The girl picked up the bread and began to nibble. Was this what she lived off of every day?

Suddenly, the girl looked up. Their eyes met. The quiet, shy looking girl matched his gaze with an equally cold glare. They stared until they tore away at the same time.

"What do you want?" The girl asked, gnawing a bit more on her bread.

"Well, I'm the Kazekage of Sunagakure. And you just used summoning no jutsu to steal bread from someone."

"So?"

Well, that was stupid.

"'So?' That's theft, and that's illegal."

"… Kazekage, sir, as much as I would like to care, I don't. I have no money, and I have no talent. Just leave me alone and get back to your job."

"And what, exactly, do you think my job is?"

"I don't care. Just go do it."

"Are you giving me an order?"

Once again, the girl met Gaara's glare. "No, sir. I'm demanding that you leave. I've been alone all my life with just the birds, and I rather like it that way."

She flinched when Gaara sat down next to her. "I've been alone myself. No one understood me, not even my brother and sister, Kankuro and Temari. I know what its like, trust me."

The girl sighed and held out a hand. "I'm Aimez. Aimez Minuit."

Gaara hesitated, but shook her hand. "Gaara. Aimez? Is that French?"

"Yes."

"Why was the bird speaking French too?"

"Because he's a French bird."

"…"

Aimez smiled. "'Aimez, Aimez! Moi amener pâture!' means 'Love, Love! I bring food!' and 'Remercier toi' means 'thank you' and I don't think you're so dumb as to not know what bon voyage means. 'Minuit' means 'midnight.'"

"So your name means Love Midnight?"

"I like to think my parents were authors of romance books," Aimez said. "And one of their book titles was 'Love Midnight' but my mom had me and named me Aimez Minuit and then she was killed before she could publish her book!"

"My mom died giving birth to me."

"I know."

Gaara stared at her. "How would you know?"

"The birds. They tell me everything."

Gaara blinked at her.

"Hm… Well, summoned animals can speak. And I can speak French, which is the language my birds speak. They bring me food, ad find me water and shelter. They're how I've survived the past fear years."

"'Years?'"

"My parents died years ago, Gaara."

Gaara glared. NO ONE called the Kazekage by his first name! Grr!

"I don't know how. Maybe disease, or whatever…"

"How long have your birds been watching me?"

The question took Aimez by surprise. She probably would have fallen over if she wasn't too weak to be anime style. "What do you mean?"

"I mean what I say. It was obvious you knew who I was long before I knew you. And you know I killed my mother, and that my father was turned into a puppet…"

Aimez flinched. She was saving that one.

"…So how long? My birth was nearly seventeen years ago. That can't be older than you."

"I'm sixteen, so yes, it can. But my birds have been watching you for a while, whether I like it or not. I learned how to speak French before our language, so I could understand them early. I don't know WHY they watch you… They just kind of... Do. That last bird? His name was Pierre. Kind of corny, but hey, he's French."

All of a sudden, Aimez fell into a violent fit of coughing.

Gaara's head turned to look at her. "Are you okay?"

Blood splattered on the ground, but Aimez smiled. "I'm fine –" She coughed a dozen more times. "Just haven't had anything proper to drink in a while…"

Either Aimez was a professional actress, or Gaara had gone soft. He helped her into a pub and bought her a margarita.


	3. White Russian

**Main characters: Gaara, Naruto, Aimez**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. DAMN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS! (Or "The Longest Yard" that the "shit himself" comment came from…**

"**I think I made him shit himself."**

"**I think that guy just shit himself."**

"**I think he just shit himself."**

"**GAH! This guy shit himself!"**

"**YEAH I WAS RIGHT!"

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****Tales from the Drinks  
****White Russian

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**Gaara sighed. "I remember exactly what she got. Banana margarita with as much alcohol as possible. Downed it in less that five minutes and fell asleep."

Naruto laughed. "Hah. Didn't last very long, huh?"

"Nope. She did wake up, though, when some guy tried to move her." Gaara actually managed to laugh dryly. "Hit him so hard he shit himself."

Naruto looked at the woman again. She was glaring over a Manhattan at Gaara, and when Gaara turned to look at her, she mouthed, "HOME!"

Gaara stood up. "Well, I'd better –"

"NO!" Six hands (Including Shikamaru, excluding Shino) pushed him back down. Naruto slapped a bill on the counter and called, "White Russian!"

A vein on Gaara's forehead throbbed. "Naruto…"

"So what happened next?"

Gaara sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Can't we do this LATER?"

"NO!"

A chill ran up his spine when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Hey babiiiiiieeee."

A delicate finger began to trace the "Ai" tattoo on his forehead above his left eye. "Hanging with your friends?"

Aimez smiled her pink lips. "I think I know what your saying…"

She blinked when Naruto's face appeared staring at her hand. A gold ring was on her left ring finger, with an enormous diamond in the middle. "Is that REAL?"

Aimez blinked. "Mm hm."

"Are you Aimez?" Kiba asked.

Aimez nodded.

"Aimez Minuit?"

Aimez nodded again.

"Story! NOW!"

Six hands pushed her into a chair.

Aimez shifted. "Well… Get me a pink lady and I'll tell you all about it."

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**BONUS SECTION! These are the drinks that will be used as titles, in order.**

**Martini  
Margarita  
White Russian  
Chocolate Kiss  
Vodka and Tonic  
Tequila Sunrise  
Champagne**


	4. Chocolate Kiss

Story  
_At the present, in the bar_

**Main characters: Gaara, Naruto, Aimez**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. If I did… Why the hell would I be writing this?

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**Tales from the Drinks  
****Chocolate Kiss

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**_"Alrighty." Aimez looked at the ceiling briefly. "He told you how we met, right? Yeah, well, after that Gaara took me back to his house. Well, um, because I had no place to stay…" Here she snuggled with Gaara's arm, who just sort of groaned. "Gaara let me stay at his big estate with Temari and Kankuro! He let me live with him for a month, until…"_

Aimez yawned and walked out of her room… Which was really the guest room, converted to become hers. Clad in her everyday black pajamas, she went into the kitchen and made some English muffins, carrying them outside. Holding down the muffins with her thumbs, she sprang onto the lower roof, then onto the upper. "Ah, the sunrise." She muttered, smiling to herself. She leaned against something hard and stiff, picking up a muffin and biting into it, letting the warm butter seep onto her teeth. The red sun lifted into the air finally, casting a bright gold glow across Sunagakure. Her hair was now a silky black and her skin had regained a feminine glow. Aimez squinted and smiled, leaning her head back against whatever she was leaning on.

"EEK!"

… And whatever she was leaning on moved.

Aimez fell back in surprise. Blinking and looking up, she watched the Kazekage heft his gourd onto his back. Aimez blushed. "Hi, Gaara… Didn't see you…"

She'd been living with the Kazekage for a month, but she barely saw him. He was so busy with his Kazekage life, and when he wasn't busy, he was off somewhere. And when he wasn't off somewhere, he made an excuse to BE somewhere.

"Nobody ever does." He sighed in reply. "Well, papers to file, crap to sign…"

"Sit down."

"What?"

"Sir, please, sit down."

Hesitating, Gaara sat down, setting his gourd back on the roof. "What is it, Aimez?"

"Kazekage, sir, why do you always make excuses? Whenever you come home you either go out or make an excuse to get away. Am I scary or something?"

Aimez was no longer the girl he met on the street. She was stronger, healthier. She wasn't exactly taller, but she certainly looked fitter than ever. A month under the roof of the Kazekage, and a simple street rat was turned into a strong young woman.

"You were definitely scary the day I met you. Scared that one guy in the pub shitless."

"I was wasted, don't talk about it. That was the most alcoholic Banana Margarita I ever had. I rather like it that way. Anyway, that doesn't answer my question…"

"I don't make excuses! I really have to be out…"

"Ah, really? Where do you go?"

Gaara flinched. "…Places."

"What kind of places?"

"That's none of your business, Aimez."

"I live with you, sir, I deserve to know."

Gaara glared at her. "You don't DESERVE anything! It's not like you do anything around the house, anyway!"

Aimez looked offended. "You're right, sir. I should get a job. I could act in the plays down at the theater… They pay for that."

Gaara sighed. "Sorry."

"Gaara?"

Gaara twitched. There she went again, using his name… "What, Aimez?"

"… Do you hate me? Or do you love me?"

Gaara froze. What did she ask again? Was it…? No, can't be. "…What?"

"Do you hate me or do you love me? Answer one, please!"

The look in her eye was pure anxiety. Gaara had never seen her like this, and he had lived with the girl for a month. "Erm…"

"Well, it doesn't have to actually be LOVE. I guess that was a little… Open. Do you like me in any way?"

"Like a sister."

Aimez looked crestfallen. "And you don't like your sister very much…"

"No."

"Well!" Aimez stood up with her muffins. "You can go now, or whatever…" Sighing, she turned and walked away. Stupidly, I might add.

"YEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!"

Not paying any attention, Aimez walked right off the roof. Her heart leapt into her chest and the plate crashed down, smashing into a thousand pieces on the ground far below. Aimez shut her eyes tightly, not wanting to watch the ground get any closer.

All of a sudden she stopped. Her arm nearly jerked from its socket. As a strong hand began to pull her up, Aimez opened one eye timidly.

Gaara glared down at her. "What kind of idiot are you? People don't just walk off the edge of a roof!"

"I'm sorry, Gaara…" Aimez mumbled. "I wasn't paying attention."

Once again, his first name… Man that made him pissed.

Gaara glared harder at her. "You could have fallen, and hurt yourself, or KILLED yourself, you must REALLY have a short attention span!"

Aimez pouted, but paused and smirked. "You were worried about me."

"I was not!"

"Were too!"

Gaara glared at her harder than ever. AARGH that annoying smirk, those sparkling eyes… It was SO annoying! Nearly a moment later, she was right below him. His arm was aching from holding hers so long, and he nearly let go with annoyance.

And finally, the emotions stopped. He was no longer angry with her; he felt no annoyance at her expression.

His Shukaku-powered senses caught every detail of her face, the glimmer in her eye and the cool breeze brushing her hair. Her shampoo smelled rather like chocolate…

Unable to calm raging hormones, Gaara pulled her up clumsily into a kiss.


	5. Vodka and Tonic

**Main Characters: Gaara, Naruto, Aimez**

**Disclaimer: The people in white took my memory… I don't own Naruto…

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****Tales from the Drinks  
****Vodka and Tonic

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**"Aw, Gaara, that's so cute!" Naruto cooed. A glare from Gaara silenced him.

"I didn't even ask… You're Naruto, right?" Aimez asked. "The Kyuubi?"

"Oh, lovely description… But yeah, I'm the CONTAINER of the Kyuubi, Naruto!" Naruto replied, a little irritated at her question.

"Gaara says you're a moron."

Naruto looked fairly pissed.

"And you're probably Shikamaru, Kiba and Shino?"

"And Akamaru!"

"…"

Akamaru strode in, barking. He was about as tall as Kiba's waist now.

"Oh." Aimez scratched his head. "Aren't you the cutest doggie ever?"

Akamaru barked and wagged his tail. Aimez smiled. Gaara glared at Akamaru. Kiba blinked. Shikamaru drank. Shino paid no attention. Naruto wondered how Gaara fell in love with such a cheerful, nice person. So…

"Gaara, how exactly did you fall in love with such a cheerful, nice person?"

Gaara looked at his fiancé and smirked. "She's not as nice as you think."

Then, there was a thump. Then another. Naruto realized Aimez was thumping her heels against the ground.

This continued until a bartender scurried over with a pad of paper. "May I help –"

"Six glasses of your FINEST vodka and tonic, crystal glasses and I want EXCELLENT service, you read me? Make it snappy!"

Gaara smiled inwardly, but didn't show it. That was Aimez.

The bartender nodded briskly, used to Aimez's abrupt way of ordering by now. Minutes later, six glasses of vodka and tonic were slid down the bar to Shikamaru, Kiba, Shino, Naruto, Gaara and Aimez, Aimez getting the fullest one.

"See what I mean?" Gaara said smugly. Naruto just nodded, grateful for the vodka and tonic, though he didn't even finish his pink squirrel yet.

"SO ANYWAY!" Aimez went on, already half wasted. "Gaara and I were together for at least six months SIX MONTHS before Gaara asked me to marry him… It was such a nice day, too! Great dinner, remember EXACTLY what I had…"


	6. Tequila Sunset

**Main characters: Gaara, Naruto, Aimez**

**Disclaimer: Damn the people in… OMG THIS TIME BLACK? They flashed the thingy… But a random "accident" has jogged my memory! But I STILL don't own Naruto… DAMN!

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****Tales from the Drinks  
****Tequila Sunset

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**"Filet mignon with tequila and a chicken salad with grilled chicken, no tomatoes or any of that." Aimez relayed, giving the waiter her menu. He blinked. "So you basically wan chicken and lettuce?"

"YES!" Aimez hissed. "Is that a problem, waiter boy? Or do you need to go finish college?"

The water scurried off.

"Remercier toi for bringing me here, Gaara!" She squealed. "It's so nice and exotic!"

"And expensive…" Gaara thought. But he put on a smile. "Anything for you, and today is a very special day!"

"Why's that, Gaara?" Aimez asked.

"Because… You'll find out later, okay?"

"Okay!"

There was a yell from outside. Aimez's head snapped up, but she thought nothing of the yell.

"AIMEZ! AIMEEEEEEEEEEZ!"

This made her turn. Pierre waddled over in such a manner that he nearly fell over. He looked and Gaara and said, "Er, er, I am thinking, you are Gaara? Nice to you meet. Aimez, I am thinking you should not tequila drink!"

"Why not, Pierre?"

"Last time you remember? Crazy you become."

Aimez scoffed. "That was like, what, three years ago? Pierre, you're overreacting. Go back to your worms."

Following this was a stream of obviously colorful French curses, because Aimez winced. "Pierre, there could be people who know French here…"

"Care I not!" Pierre replied. "If Aimez wants to go crazy, Aimez can! Care not for Pierre's opinion!"

Pierre waddled off.

"What was that all about…?" Gaara asked as their food came.

"The last time I had tequila I went half-insane. Think nothing of it…" She said, automatically reaching for her tequila.

Also automatically, Gaara thought that this night would not end the way he expected.

"Gaara, what are you doing?"

"…Stuff…"

It was a lovely oasis Gaara led her to. There was a black, still pool in the middle, surrounded by trees and exotic fruit. A small bench was the only manmade technology there.

"SIT!"

Aimez sat. "What is it?" One eye began to close, but it snapped open again. Aimez was tipsy from her tequila.

"I was too nervous to do it in the restaurant…"

All of a sudden, Gaara turned a deep red. Aimez just blinked, gradually coming out of her tipsy state.

Shukaku, deciding to do something actually nice, uncorked his gourd. Gaara watched the sand fearfully, as a small box was torn from his pocket and delicately held out to Aimez.

"A-Aimez…" He mumbled, stuttering. "Will you…"

The box opened, revealing the dazzling diamond ring.

"Will you marry me?"

Aimez stared at the ring. The Gaara. And then his gourd.

She leapt up and flung her arms around his neck. "Oh, Gaara…" She whispered. "Aishiteru… Of course I'll marry you…"

Behind the trees the sun disappeared beyond the clouds, its darkness cloaking the very happy couple.


	7. Champagne

**Main characters: Gaara, Naruto, Aimez**

**Disclaimer: Well, here I am. I DO OWN NAR… -People in white flash thing in my eyes- WTF is Naruto?

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****Tales from the Drinks  
****Champagne

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**"Bullshit."

"WHAT!"

Aimez glared at Naruto, who folded his arms and put his head on them.

"Gaara would never be so timid. Not even when he died and that lady brought him back to life. It sounds like a load of crap to me."

"HE WAS! And I AM engaged to Gaara!"

"Prove it."

Naruto watched Aimez for a moment, matching her glare. Then Aimez turned, grasped Gaara's face in her hands and crushed her lips against his. Her hand moved from his face to his tattoo, tracing over the red lines by memory. Gaara returned her kiss, running his hands through her hair passionately.

When Aimez broke away, Kiba, Shikamaru and Naruto were staring, mouths agape. Kiba cheered. "WAY TO GO GAARA!"

"Yeah, Gaara, I didn't know—"

"Kiba? Shikamaru? Shino? Naruto?"

The four boys blinked. Sakura skipped up behind them and curtsied. "Kazekage… Well boys, it's time to go home. Kakashi sensei says we have to. Kay? Come on!"

The boys paid for their drinks and waved goodbye. "Later, Gaara."

They left. Aimez flashed a grin to Gaara. "Well, come on, Gaara. Buy me some champagne and lets get out of here and go to the oasis."

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**THANK YOU ALL FOR REVIEWING! -Sarcasm- I got ONE REVIEW the whole story. I WANT REVIEWS PEOPLE! -Bars path back to the last page you were at- REVIEW OR DIE! **


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